This image of a bomb-proof shelter at Dutch Gap, Virginia is noted as being that of a Major [Thomas] Strong, 16th New York Artillery. The first time I saw it I assumed it was just a photograph of USCT soldiers at that location since there were a number of USCT regiments there with the Army of the James and at least one other photograph of them there. But its a bit of a mystery as to why USCTs are sitting outside an officers quarters of a white regiment. I doubt that these men are officers servants since one has on sergeant's stripes. Perhaps they were in the area and the photographer just had them sit in for the photograph. Or perhaps they were detailed to so some type of duty work there. Not sure.
The man on the right side of the photograph sits on a ladder used to make repairs to the roof of the bomb-proof, which appears to be cut into the side of a hill. The bomb-proof has a wooden door, glass windows and a brick chimney, probably all scavenged from homes in the neighborhood. The man is dressed in a military shell jacket with piping on the cuffs, rolled trousers, and forage cap. His shoe soles appear to be caked with mud.
The man on the left side of the photograph sits on the hillside. He, too, wears what appears to be a shell jacket and trousers that may have a stripe visible on his right leg. A military cap shades his eyes. The shell jacket has sergeant's stripes, which if he is a servant seems quite strange. I would not think that a servant would be allowed to wear the insignia of a non-commissioned officer. Again, I'm not sure. A patch or medal of some kind that looks to be a starburst of some kind adorns the right breast of his jacket. Like his partner, his shoes seem to be muddy, and his socks are bunched up just over his shoe tops.
A pile of entrenching tools lay to the far left side of the photograph. A spade and a couple of picks probably came in handy building the bomb-proof quarters.
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